Clasp.



No. 672,793. Patented Apr: 23. 190|. C. E. MIXER.

CLASP.

. (Application flied Sept. 4, 1900.) (No Medel.)

CHARLES E. MIXER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CLASP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 672,793, dated April 23, 1901.,

i Application iled September 4, 1900. Serial No. 28,885. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concer-n.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. MIXER, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clasps or Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to clasps or fasteners, and has for its object the provision of a device of the class named which may be employed for a variety of purposes and which is capable of ornamentation, so as to present a pleasing and ornate appearance when used for securing together the ends of an article of Wear, such as a belt or garter or the detachable parts of a pair of Suspenders.

In carrying out the invention l employ two members which are adapted to interlock at their meeting` ends, one of said members being formed with an outer portion or plate which is adapted to cover and conceal the interlocking body portions of both members. The outer plate is thus adapted for the reception of iiligree or for any other ornamentation that it may be found desirable to use.

Referring to the drawings, which represent one embodiment of theinvention,Figure l represents in front elevation a clasp or fastener as in the form best adapted for use in connection with a belt or garter. Eig. 2 represents a rear view of the same. Fig. 3 represents a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. l with the mem bers of the fastener interlocked. Fig. 4 represents a similar section that shows the members in the positions assumed by them when being detached.

Referring to the drawings, the members are designated as a whole by the letters a and h, respectively. The member a (which I term the latch member for sake of convenience) consists of a metallic plate curved in the direction of its length and having its front end bent obliquely downward and backward, as at a', to form a Wedgeshaped latch. At its side edges the member is provided with lugs or ears a2 0.2 to receive the trunnions o c of the toothed lever c, by which the end A of the belt is attached to the under side of said member. -The said member a is likewise provided with laterally-projecting ears or stops a3 for a purpose to be described. The member b (herein termed the catch member) consists of an elongated strip of sheet metal, Vwhich in this particular embodiment of the invention is shown as bent upon itself to provide the outer plate b and the baseplate b2. The said strip is formed of spring metal, so that when the two plates are separated they have a tendency to spring back to initial position with respect to'each other. The outer plate b' is much longer than the base-plate b2, whereby it is adapted to overlap and cover the member a, when said members are interlocked. The base-plate b2 is bent obliquely upward and rearward at its end and then downwardly, as at b3, to provide a wedge-shaped catch to interlock with the bent end or latch a' on the member d. direction of its length, so that the member a can fit snugly against its under side while the plate b2 is by reason of the formation of the catch bent slightlyaway from the plate b.

When the catch is resting against the plate b, there isa V-space between them,into which the latch is inserted to wedge the catch outward until it slips behind the same, after which the end of the latch bears against the downwardly-bent portion of the catch and is held from disengagement so long as said members a and b are drawn or pulled in opposite directions. The plate b of the member l? bears yieldingly against the member a and holds the latch ct in engagement with the catch b3.

The plate h' is provided with the lugs b4 at its edges near its rear end, which lugs correspond to those at a2, and in said lugs are journaled the trunnions CZ of the toothed lever d, by which the end B of the belt is attached to the member b.

The base-plate bilis formed with the lugs b5 at its edges between its ends, said lugs serving to guide the latch into engagement with the catch and also serving to prevent a lat-- eral movement of the member ct when eugaged with the member b. Said lugs cooperate with the stops 0.3 in preventing the member a, from being inserted too far in the member b, as shown in Fig. 2.

I prefer to so construct the fastener that when the latch and catch are in engagement they lie substantially midway between the ends of the plate b of the memberb and also so that the lugs h5 will cover the said parts and hide them from view.

The said plate b' is bent in the' IOO f ulcrum, causingthe l'latch tofforce the plate b outwardly or, in other words, to separate the plates b and b2 far enough to permit the latch to be moved out of engagement Withth'e1 The said members may be sepacatch b3. rated, however, by grasping the outer end of member bbetween the thfumfh and foreinfger of one hand and pressing `the .thumb of the other hand against the member a so as to bend the plate b/ of the member b out from the plate b2 far enough to permit the member a to be drawn 'rearwardly in la straight 'line outward While resting against the said'plate h.

. for many purposes.

'It will be understood that in lieu of the `rle- Vers c and d'the members a and b may have other provisions for adjustably securing theends o'f the belt or garter thereto. The pro- V'i's'ion of the elongated plate b o'f the mem' 4berfb furnishes a broad surface, which may be ornamented .to a high degree. The vplate itself may be embossed or it may be filigreedy to vsuit the individual taste of the wearer.

Itis evident that 'theinvention'may be used In a minute'form it may be employed asa dress-fastener in llieu of hooks and eyes or as a fastener 'for umbrell'astraps, and in enlarged form fit may be employed as a clasp for horse-blankets or in many other ways.

Having thus explainedthe nature of 'the invention and described a way of constructing and using the same, though without attempting to set forth .all of the forms in which i't maybe made or all of the modes of its use, it yis declared that what is claimed is- 1. A clasp or 'fastener comprisingtwo 'members with interlocking ends, one of saidmembers having an outer yieldingly-connected `plate which completely overlaps and conceals the other member when the two inembers are inter-locked, and holds the said memhers in interlocked engagement.

2. A clasp or fastener comprising two interlocking members, one of which consists of Ia'plate having a latch on its end, 'and 'the other'of which consistsfoffaebase-,plate having a-catchon its end, and hav-ingan outer plate which yieldingly holds the latch in engagement with the catch and which is adapted toY yield outwardly to permit disengagement or detachment of said fmem'be'rs, said outer plate having ears which project beyond the end of the catch to guide the latch into engagement therewith.

3. A clasp or fastener comprising two interlocking members, one of whichconsists of #a plate having Ia ilate/hon `its lend, :and the otherof which consists of a base-plate having a catch on its end, and having an outer plate which yieldingly holds the .latch in engagement with .the `catch and which is adaptedto yield outwardly to 'permitV disengagement or detachment of said members, said last-mentioned plate being elongated 'to cover and conceal the latch 'member vwhen 'said members are interlocked.

4. A clasp or fastener comprising two interlocking members, one o'f which consists of a plate bent obliq'uely downward .and rear- 'ward at its inner e-ndtoform alatch, andthe other of which consists o'f a vbase-plate bent obliquely rearward and upward vat its :inner end 'to form a catch, and a 'yielding outer plate between lwhich and the baselplatethe latch member may be inserted, said ouiter plate being `'elo'ngat'edto ove'rlapand conceal the latch mem'ber,"W`hereb ya rsmooth surface is provided'for ornamentation purposes.

i5. A clasp orfas't'ener 'comprising alatch 

